Since the establishment of the first co-working space in 2005, many large co-working companies have sprouted up around the world as the popularity of this type of workspace grows. According to a study conducted by Coworking Resources, a publishing company, the number of co-working spaces worldwide is expected to reach over 40,000 by 2024. Moreover, a GCUC Company global co-working report says that the number of co-workers in the world will double by 2022. This shows how in demand co-working spaces are to business firms and freelancers.
However, with the COVID-19 pandemic in place, governments imposed restrictions on access to public spaces in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, limiting people’s ability to work in co-working spaces. Despite this, many people continue to occupy the same space. To ensure safety, let us examine how social distancing can be achieved in this type of workplace.
Achieving Social Distancing in Co-working Spaces
- Limit the capacity of co-working spaces
With the COVID-19 pandemic still in place, there really can be no “zero risk” gatherings, especially when big groups of people are together. Regardless, people still choose to co-work.
According to WHO, the spread of the COVID-19 virus is “mainly between people who are in close contact with each other.” This means that the more people are using the same venue at the same time, the more likely it is for the virus to spread. To alleviate this, it is important for co-working spaces to limit the allowable number of people inside the place.
- Reconfigure seating arrangements
The WHO suggests that at all times, people must at least be 1 meter apart to avoid close contacts. In the UAE, this suggestion was recently adhered to when the country reduced capacity restrictions, allowing people to access public spaces within a 1-meter distance from each other. In co-working spaces, this guideline may be followed by rearranging seats and tables according to the recommended distance, and by establishing single-occupancy work nooks.
- Put up behavioral signages and barriers
According to psychology, humans are inherently social, and that “they have a fundamental need to relate.” This is why co-working spaces are popular among freelancers and companies for this is where they can communicate and collaborate freely. However, because humans may be too social at times, they might forget the need to practice social distancing. To avoid this, co-working spaces must put up signages and barriers that would keep the distance between people even when they are talking to each other.
Am I in the Right Co-working Space?
To know the answer to this question, one must consider two things: space and utilization. These two are the defining factors of a coworking space’s capability to adhere to the guidelines of the WHO. Having enough space allows seats and tables to be arranged accordingly. Good space utilization, on the other hand, will avoid people from gathering. For example, various facilities, such as photocopying machines and computers, must be placed in different corners.
Shared office spaces in Dubai like that of myOffice, apart from providing spacious co-working spaces that adhere to WHO guidelines, also sanitizes its space on a regular basis. This not only creates social distance, but also protects people from the COVID-19 virus.
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